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by Dark Amethyst
Chapter 8
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Rachael announces her consciousness with a sharp hissing intake of breath, wincing as the pain strikes her. She pulls at a restrained hand, then opens her eyes to glare at me narrowly.
�Well,� I say quietly, watching her. �Here we are again. This is getting tiresome, Rachael.�
�Why can�t you just let me go?� she complains, re-closing her eyes.
�With what you can do? You�ll fight for me. You�ll make a wonderful warrior�once I finally teach you some obedience.�
�I�d never fight for you,� she growls, a tear leaking out from her tightly shut eyes. �You�re nothing but a bloody vampire. I won�t let you use people like this.�
�Let me?� I echo, grimly amused and affronted by her defiance. �You can�t stop me. No one can � not once I�ve got all my powers back.�
�Sailor Moon could. Nephrite�maybe she could help you.�
�Sailor Moon is a brainless child,� I dismiss, growing angrier.
�No � she�s a woman now. And she defeated Beryl � as a child.�
�We don�t know that,� I argue, my voice rising. I get up abruptly, pacing the room.
�No? Then where is the Dark Kingdom? Why can�t you get home?� she taunts me. �You know it�s the truth. Beryl and everything else is gone�but you�re still her puppet. You know the difference between good and evil. You�re just determined to ignore it. Naru would be ashamed of you.�
A surge of pure rage floods over me and I turn on Rachael, fists clenched, an atom away from destroying her. She catches my expression and stares, silenced and terrified.
�You�re remarkably heedless for a woman in your position,� I tell her, once my blood has ceased to boil. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, refocusing myself. �We�re getting off topic.�
Rachael pulls at her bonds now, without much hope, her eyes showing panic and fear.
�You left again, without permission. This time you�ll be punished.�
�I had to leave, Nephrite,� she protests desperately, her voice quavering. �I can�t stand by and let you hurt people. I can�t.�
I raise my hands, reaching out towards her.
�Let me show you how Beryl rewards disobedience,� I say quietly, shuddering inwardly at my own memories of what she�s about to endure. Quickly, before this can translate into pity and weakness, I send the wave of energy over her�
There are no screams of agony � it�s a horribly quiet business. Rachael�s body convulses then freezes�every muscle flexed to its utmost�every nerve alive with torment.
�You will do what I say,� I tell her quietly, knowing from experience that she can still hear me. �Whatever I say. And you will never mention Naru�s name again.�
I wait a few long seconds more, until I know her lungs scream for oxygen�then I release her. First � a desperate noisy gasp for air�and then a flood of tears, both of relief and horror. I take a seat next to her on the bed, quietly reflecting on my own reaction to the experience. There were tears for me too � though silent ones�and I shiver remembering my body�s reaction to the incredible agony�almost more than the mind can endure.
I reach a hand out to slide it alongside her wet face, trying to comfort her�trying to show her she�s not utterly alone � as I was.
�It�s alright,� I whisper. �It�s over now. And you�ll never know it again. So long as you obey me.� It�s not a threat. It was supposed to be a comfort. But Rachael stuns me.
�I won�t,� she vows through clenched teeth, refusing to open her eyes, craning her head away from my gentle touch.
I stare, dumbfounded. I�ve never known such defiance. It�s beyond comprehension.
�Do you want it again?� I demand, empathy leaving me, replaced by frustration�exasperation.
�No�please no�,� she whimpers, her body trying to curl defensively despite its bonds.
�Then say it. Give me your word. You will obey me. Whatever I say.�
�You must promise me�,� she begs in reply. �You won�t hurt any more innocent people. You�ll leave them alone. Promise me that, and I�ll do anything you wish�anything you say��
�You aren�t in the position to bargain for anything!� I shout at her, furious that she should try to dictate terms to me.
�I can�t agree, Nephrite,� she sobs. �I can�t do it. I can�t��
Beyond furious, I let her have it again, not even pausing to consider whether she can stand it�my own body trembling�my own breath held as she holds hers. And when I release her at last, her wild inhalation fills me with relief�I haven�t killed her. But I lean over her, taking her shoulders, shaking her slightly � trying to get her to focus on me and forget the desolation�trying to determine if her mind has survived.
�Rachael. Answer me, Rachael,� I urge her, increasingly panicked. She�s hardly even crying�tears run down her cheeks, but she makes no sound. She won�t open her eyes.
�Please�say something,� I plead. Her lips move�but I can�t make out a sound. I lower my head to hers, my eyes narrowed with the effort of listening.
She says it again�a barely discernable breath against my ear, �Promise me.�
I sit back up slowly�staring�fighting tears myself, though I couldn�t say why. Unbearable frustration, I suppose.
�If I do it again, you�ll die � you know that,� I say quietly, staring at her lifeless face. �You�ll accept that, will you? You�ll die for the human race?�
A notion strikes me which begins to explain the inexplicable�how she can endure this agony and still have a mind, much less a will�something I have never seen in all my years in the Dark Kingdom. It�s because she�s doing it for someone else�she�s thinking of them. No one back home ever gave a damn for anything but themselves. I suddenly remember Naru � standing above me, defiant � willing to accept death for me�and I staring�feeling similarly dumbfounded.
And then I remember�something I had forgotten�made myself forget. I have done the same...felt the same. When they threatened Naru...what wouldn't I have endured to spare her? I would have acted�did act�the same as this. Accepted death � for her.
I reach a hand down again to stroke Rachael�s cheek, my own face now wet with a few rebel tears.
�What did the human race ever do for you?� I ask tenderly, unsure whether she can even hear me. I shake my head, perplexed but no longer angry.
I undo her bonds, rubbing the reddened skin gently as I remove the ropes, then lie down beside her, gathering her into my arms, and settling her against my chest�cradling her like a child I wish to protect. I bring my face to her hair and kiss her gently.
�You win,� I whisper, feeling somehow only relief, then close my eyes, already nearly sleeping. �I promise.�
An answering whisper floats to me on the very border of consciousness�its tone relieved�perhaps even smiling.
�What you wish. Whatever you wish. You shall have it, master.�
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